Funny how things go. A person who was suppose to be my friend whom i met
online, said he'd help take care of my family. He asked me my husband's
name, so without thinking I gave it. The money orders finally arrived, 5 of
them for $925 each, totalling $4625. Wal-mart Financial money orders. We
cashed them at a local store. A week later, found out they were counterfeit.
Meanwhile, the person who sent them was having a fit, because we used the
whole of the money,(orginally told to use them as we needed to). He wanted
me to send him some of the money back. We were told we could be facing up to
12 different federal charges, which means we could lose everything, and my
husband could lose his daughter if we went to jail. I filed a police report
with the sheriff's department. God knows, if I had known they would be
counterfeit, I would not have allowed this to happen. This person has
refused to make good on the money orders, said he lived in New Orleans, La.
but was in West Africa w/ his mother. Go figure. The money orders were
written in Texas, and sent from California. Now I have to figure out how to
pay for these, to clear our names, so I can get this guy prosecuted. He said
his name was Solomon David. I need help. Ifanyone can help me get these paid
or knows who can (I'd pay them back as I could) PLEASE let me know. I can't
let my husband lose his daughter or anything over this. I shouldn't have
given his name to this guy, let alone my own name. Would someone please help
me fix this, please. I didn't know the money orders were counterfeit. So
please, for the sake of my husband's child, someone please help me.

I'm so sorry to hear about what has happened to you. The bad news is that there is no chance of getting this scammer prosecuted. He will have used a false name and address and even if he hadn't, the legal system in Nigeria is such that prosecuting these people is next to impossible. Unfortunately because of this fact Wal-Mart will want their money back and you are the one they will try to retrieve it from.

On the plus side, you have filed a police report, which proves you have nothing to hide, and you have not yet been charged with anything so, and I know it's difficult at present, please don't panic. If you have kept the e-mails exchanged between you and this criminal, don't delete them but use them to show that you are the victim and were acting in good faith.

Have you tried contacting Wal-Mart, explaining the situation to them and offering to pay the money back in instalments that you can afford? All they are wanting is the money and if you do this they may well not press charges under the circumstances. It may be an idea to also seek legal advice about this situation.

Remeber also that you are the victim, not the criminal, and don't beat yourself up for falling for this scam, thousands of people fall for similar cons.